The invention relates to a slide ring seal, and in particular a running gear seal, in accordance with the category-defining part of the first patent claim.
Due to the low forces generated by the elastomer component, running gear seals with rubber trapezoidal rings exhibit only low holding torques between the elastomer component and the slide and/or counter ring. Even moderate contamination by dirt from the outside, which increases the torsional forces, can create a misalignment between the elastomer component and the slide ring and/or counter ring.
Increased stresses, for example as a result of contamination or corrosive attack, can result in increased torsional force between the slide and/or counter ring and the elastomer component. Relative movement between the slide ring and/or counter ring and the elastomer component causes elastomer wear, and consequently causes the seal to fail.
A slide ring seal with this design, having a radial anti-rotation lock can be found in DE 101 04 788 A1. Previous anti-rotation locks provided only poor protection, because the anti-rotation lock was located relatively far from the highly stressed, and therefore slightly deformed, region of the sealing element. The basic deformation of the sealing element in an installed state can lead to a lifting in the rear region of the elastomer component, and can thereby also lead to the anti-rotation lock being drawn out of the recess in the slide and/or counter ring. If the slide and/or counter ring starts to turn, the low stiffness of the slide and/or counter ring leads to deformation of the anti-rotation lock, and thereby to complete loss of the positive locking action, and therefore to the loss of the effect of the slide ring seal.
The slide and/or counter ring has a high-stress region, which is formed in the transition area from the axial leg to the radial leg of the slide and/or counter ring. The further away from the highly-stressed region the anti-rotation lock is disposed between the slide and/or counter ring and the elastomer component, the greater the likelihood of elastic deformation of the anti-rotation lock, as a result of which the positive locking action, and thus the anti-rotation lock, will no longer be assured.